Celebrating National Veterinary Technician Week: How NICC Prepared Silas Hansen for a Fast-Paced Career in Animal Care
Friday, October 23, 2026
For Silas Hansen, a passion for animal care began well before high school graduation. Growing up in Racine, Minnesota, he got his start in the veterinary field at just 14 years old.
Guided by an early affinity for animal care and inspired by his older sister — a practicing veterinarian — Silas knew early on that he wanted to turn his hands-on passion into a lifelong profession. When it came time to choose a college, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) stood out immediately. Silas was initially drawn to the College’s Production and Companion Animal Veterinary Technician program for its focus on large animal care and agricultural partnerships.
"I really liked the program that NICC had," Silas said. "There were some great opportunities with local farms and the dairy farm to get hands-on experience."
From his very first semester, NICC delivered on that promise of real-world learning right on campus at Iowa's Dairy Center. A fully operational, working farm with more than 100 cows, the center provides students with direct access to modern dairy management and production medicine.
"My favorite part was one of the first classes I had," Silas said. "We spent the whole class out in the dairy barn working with the cows. It was a lot of hands-on learning right out of the gate."
Built for Hands-On Learning
The College’s facilities allowed students to transition seamlessly between classroom concepts and clinical practice.
"Most of my classes were at the dairy lab," Silas said, noting how the program's centralized layout made second-year coursework efficient. "We had our lab area, presentation area, study space, small animal surgical suite and right adjacent to that room is our X-ray. It’s all kind of in one place."
Beyond on-campus facilities, the curriculum provided broad exposure across livestock, equine, exotic and small animal medicine. Students traveled to local animal shelters, such as the Decorah Humane Society, to conduct exams and diagnostic tests. Silas also participated in a specialized internship through Iowa State University.
"We spent time working with their swine lab and driving out to different swine barns in Iowa to see how things were run and practice drawing blood," he said.
These diverse experiences helped Hansen fine-tune his career direction. During a final clinical internship at Harmony Veterinary Clinic in Minnesota, he realized his true passion lay in the intricate, fast-paced technical procedures typical of small animal medicine.
Leadership and Veterinary Technician National Exam Preparation
Throughout his time at NICC, Silas felt supported by dedicated faculty and an active student community. Hi also took on a leadership role as president of the College’s chapter of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, organizing club meetings and fundraisers.
When it came time to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam following his graduation in summer 2025, he felt completely prepared thanks to built-in, multi-semester exam preparation.
Serving the Community
Today, Silas puts his training to work in two clinical settings. He works full-time as a licensed veterinary technician at VCA Cascade Animal Medical Center & Inn, a general practice in Rochester, Minnesota, while also picking up part-time relief shifts at an emergency veterinary clinic.
"I really like the technical side of things — doing surgeries, running anesthesia and client education," Silas said. "Working at an emergency clinic, I get to do a lot of things that a normal veterinarian or vet tech wouldn't be able to do."
He encourages anyone interested in animal medicine to explore the rewarding path of becoming a vet tech, suggesting prospective students shadow at a local clinic to see the dynamic, vital impact technicians make every day.
"I love the field," Silas said. "It's so rewarding to have the knowledge to help educate owners and perform the technical skills that truly make a difference for pets and their families."